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Minutes for HB2135 - Committee on Taxation
Short Title
Establishing an income, privilege and premium tax credit for contributions to eligible charitable organizations operating pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 2, 2023
Chairperson Smith opened the hearing for HB2135.
Mr. Siebers provided an overview on HB2135 that provides for an income, privilege and premium tax credit for contributions to eligible charitable organizations operating pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities. (Attachment 20)
Kathleen Smith provided an overview on the fiscal note for HB2135 stating the Department of Revenue did not have enough information to accurately estimate the number of taxpayers that would claim this new tax credit or the amount of contributions to eligible charitable organizations to accurately estimate the fiscal effect of the bill. HB2135 limits the maximum credit allowed to $10.0 million per tax year.
In response to a question, Ms. Smith stated there are many different tax credits that do have actual annual caps noting there was a bill passed last session where a tax credit for historical restoration and preservation credit has a $10.0 million cap. Ms. Smith will provide a list of the tax credits to the House Taxation Committee.
Samuel Lee, Campaign Life Missouri, testified as a proponent for HB2135 stating Missouri has a similar tax credit which is a maternity home tax credit and a pregnancy center tax credit noting Kansas has combined the two into one tax credit. The Missouri tax credit has allowed individual agencies to expand their services to pregnant women and children to provide shelter and to provide free assistance and resources to carry their pregnancies to full term. The Missouri bill increased the number of agencies throughout the state from 48 pregnancy centers to 78. (Attachment 21)
Tim Quiggle, Embrace of Wichita, Inc., testified as a proponent for HB2135. Embrace is a local 501(c)3 non-profit pregnancy resource center that has served Wichita and the South Central Kansas area for 38 years. Mr. Quiggle shared some examples of help provided to three different clients. Embrace provides a value to the community through financial, material and services provided with little financial help from the state. (Attachment 22)
Ruth Tisdale, Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center in Overland Park, Kansas, testified as a proponent for HB2135. People in Johnson County felt women needed help during a very difficult time and so Advice and Aid began. For 40 years, individuals were never charged for services received such as pregnancy testing, sonograms, STI/STD testing and treatment, pregnancy consultation, abortion pill reversal, post abortion assessment, education during and after pregnancy. Advice and Aid is a not-for-profit agency and budgets are limited; therefore the tax credit would be very helpful to those that give so our name would be recognized by the city. (Attachment 23)
Donna Kelsey, Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic, testified as a proponent for HB2135. The Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic would like to increase the hours of operation and to increase the staff, but financial resources are limited. HB2135 would offer pregnancy clinics an opportunity to increase donations to help reach more pregnant women. (Attachment 24)
Korbe Bohac, a client of Insight Women's Center in Lawrence, Kansas, testified as a proponent for HB2135, stating she is a first-time mother and grateful for the support and guidance provided. From childbirth education to parenting and life classes, she has learned valuable information that has helped her to gain confidence to be a good mother and to instill family values and work ethic into her son and to be able to raise a happy and healthy child. (Attachment 25)
Bridgit Smith, Insight Women's Center, Lawrence, Kansas, testified as a proponent for HB2135 stating they have served women, men, and families from nineteen different countries. All of the services are free regardless of individual's race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. HB2135 will help provide the services that support pregnant women, their partners, and families across across the state. (Attachment 26)
Nate Bruns, Lifeline Children's Services, testified as a proponent for HB2135. Lifeline provides practical care and resources for vulnerable children, women and families in Kansas. The services provided are pregnancy counseling, family restoration, domestic and international adoption, education and counseling. Tax credits encourage charitable giving and the generosity of donors to support Lifelong's lifesaving work. (Attachment 27)
The conferees stood for questions from Committee members.
Written testimony was submitted by the following as proponents for HB2135:
Brittany Jones, Kansas Family Voice, (Attachment 28)
Lucrecia Nold, Kansas Catholic Conference, (Attachment 29)
Alice Thompson, Heart Choices Pregnancy & Parenting Resource Center, (Attachment 30)
Jeanne Gawdun, Kansans for Life, (Attachment 31)
Angela Johnson, Pregnancy & Family Center of Southeast Kansas, (Attachment 32)
Stacie, former client of Advice and Aid, (Attachment 33)
Leah Conner, Sister Clinics in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, (Attachment 34)
Opponents:
Aileen Berquist, ACLU Kansas, (Attachment 35)
Katie Baylie, Planned Parenthood of Great Plains, (Attachment 36)
Sapphire Garcia-Lies, Kansas Birth Justice Society, (Attachment 37)
Chairperson Smith closed the hearing on HB2135.
Bill Introduction:
Chairperson Smith requested a bill to be introduced concerning operating losses allowing a carryback loss on sale of historic hotels. (23-rs-0626). Without objection, the bill was approved for introduction.
Chairperson Smith adjourned the meeting at 5:35 pm.
